This may be why the Poinsettia's botanic name is Euphoribia pulcherrima, pulcherrima having the same root as "pulchritude" or beauty.

Many people think that Poinsettias are toxic, but you would probably have to eat a giant Poinsettia salad to make yourself sick. The sap of Euphorbias is known to be irritating to the skin, though, so wash thoroughly if you get the sap on yourself. And just to be safe, do not eat the leaves.

The world's biggest grower and breeder of Poinsettias is Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, California. They are responsible for all those cool curly, spotty and multicolored Poinsettias that come out each year.

Poinsettias are one of the most difficult holiday plants to grow. They need to be tricked into blooming precisely at Christmastime, which means providing them with exactly the right day length. Growers cover the little plants with blackout cloth or give them extra light at night to make them think the nights are just the right length for them to set flowers.

OH! OK! I love "Fun Facts" posts. Probably because I'm not good at those. The most helpful thing about this post is that now I'll definitely stay away from Poinsettas since I have really sensitive skin....

Thanks for sharing your beautiful full size Poinsettia. I have 3 left over from Christmas and wanted to see what they looked like if I planted them. They are stunning! Thanks for all the info and I'm very happy to have fond your blog, also.